Straw dispensing machine



STRAW DI SPENS ING MACHINE Filed May 11; 1936 ,Eywp

' M v 1 q I 1 Patented Nov. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a machine especially designed for the dispensing of straws or tubes of paper, cellophane and the like, that are generally used in cafes, soda fountains or wherever beverages are served, and the principal object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive machine that presents a neat and finished appearance, and which when actuated, delivers to the exterior of the machine,

a single straw from the supply of straws within the container.

Further objects of my invention, are to provide a straw-dispensing machine that is positive in its operation of delivering a single straw each time the operating lever is pressed, and further to provide a machine of the character referred to that is entirely sanitary in the storage and delivery of straws by reason of the fact that the entire supply of straws, is wholly enclosed in a c container where they are protected against dust, moisture and the like, and likewise protected against promiscuous or repeated handling when one or more straws are withdrawn from the machine.

25 Further objects of my invention, are to provide a straw-dispensing machine having a straw delivery opening, through which operates a sliding plate provided with a trough that receives a straw from the supply within the machine, and

30 which carries the straw through the delivery opening to the exterior of the machine, said plate being provided with a longitudinally disposed rib that functions to agitate these straws positioned immediately adjacent the delivery opening, so

35 as to insure the correct feeding or movement of the straws through the discharge opening, and the latter having associated therewith, a narrow brush formed of bristles, flexible fibres or the like, that cooperates with the sliding plate that carries the agitator in effectually preventing clogging of the straws as they are delivered from the machine and causing the sliding plates to carry one straw from the supply within the machine outwardly to the exterior thereof, with each manual operation of the lever that is utilized for imparting sliding movement to the delivery plate.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be more hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

55 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a straw-dispensing machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on 5 the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, NJ designates a substantially rectangular housing preferably formed of 10 sheet metal, and projecting outwardly and downwardly from the lower portion of said housing is a base ll.

Suitably secured to the base preferably at the corners thereof, are buttons i2 preferably formed 15 of rubber, and which serve to support the machine on the smooth surface of a table, counter or the like.

The upper end of housing fl] is closed by a readily removable cover [3, thus enabling a supply of straws to be placed within the housing, and when the cover is positioned on the housing, the supply of straws is protected against the contaminating effects of dust, moisture and the like.

Formed in the lower portion of the front wall of the housing, is a longitudinally disposed opening l4 through which the straws pass as they are delivered, one at a time, from the supply contained within the housing, and suitably secured to the front face of the front wall of the housing directly above this opening, is a frame IS in which is formed a window that includes a section l6 of glass or other transparent material.

An opening I! is formed in the front wall of the housing immediately to the rear of the transparent section l6, thus enabling those straws within the housing immediately to the rear of the window to be readily observed.

Suitably secured to the lower edge of the frame I5 is a relatively narrow brush l8 composed of bristles, flexible fiber or small wires, and this brush extends the'entire length of the opening M in the front wall of the housing and extends a short distance downwardly below the upper edge of said opening.

Suitably secured to the rear wall of the housing and projecting forwardly and downwardly toward the opening I4, is a panel l9 that forms a bottom'for the rear portion of the straw-containing chamber within the housing, and arranged for sliding movement immediately beneath this panel, is a straw delivery plate 20. Under normal conditions, the rear portion of this sliding plate underlies the front portion of the panel [9, and I The central portion of the sliding plate 'is,

cutaway so as to form at the ends of said plate,

forwardly projecting members 23, and the latter have formed therein, longitudinally disposed grooves 24 of such size as to receive and hold a single straw.

Under normal conditions, the grooved members 23 project forwardly through the ends of the straw-delivery opening, [4, as illustratedin Figs.

, land 2.

. Depending from the front edge of sliding plate 28 between the projecting end portions 23, is a flange 25 which functions as a stop to engage the front wall of the housing which is below the opening 14, and thereby limiting the forward movement of the sliding plate. 7 W Journalled in the righthand end wall of th housing, and in a bearinglfi that is secured to the lower portion of the rear wall of the housing below panel I9, is a rock-shaft 21 that projects through the righthand end wall of the housing, and secured to the projecting end of this shaft, is the rear end of a forwardly projecting hand lever 28. The end of shaft 21' that projects 7 through the bearing 26 is formedinto a short depending'crank 29, and journalled on the "end thereof, is the rear end of a link 30 that extends forwardly and its forward end is pivotally con nected to the central forward portion of sliding plate20. I f V Connected to crank 29 is one end of a retractile spring 3|, the forward end'of which is connected to the lower front portion of housing it]. This spring normally holds the operating parts 'o'fthe machine in the position illustrated in Fig; 2, with the grooved 'members 23 projecting forwardly 7 through opening 14.

Formed on sliding'plate 23 a short distance rearwardly from flange 25 is an upwardly presented longitudinally disposed rib 20a, which, as the plate slides forwardly and rearwardly, functions to agitate those straws that are positioned immediately adjacent thedischargeopening l4, and "such movement tends to" straighten or align the straws so that they will not clog while beingsuccessively discharged through opening l4.

Suitably secured to the inner face of the front wall of the housing above the window therein'and' extending the entire length of the housing, is a 7 plate 32 that extends downwardly and rearwardly i this plate occupies a slightly inclined position'dion a gradual curve, and the lower portion 34 of .rectly above and spaced apart from-the front portion of panel 15.

This curved and inclined plate provides a false bottom for the straw receiving chamber within the housing and supports the supply of straws introduced into the machine so as to relieve those straws positioned on the sliding plate from the weight of the supply of straws in the upper portion of the housing, and. consequently, preventing clogging of the machine during .operation.

7 Depending from 7 the central 7 portion of the curved and inclined plate 32, 34 and extendingthe entirelength of the housing, is a plate 35, the

7 lower edge of which terminates-a short distance above the sliding plate 26, thus permitting only two or three straws at a time to pass between the lower edge of said plate 35 and said sliding plate. This plate 35 controls the passage of the straws downwardly on plate 20, and prevents an over- 7 are plates 36 that are slightly inclined with respect to the front wall of the housing, and these plates are engaged by the end portions of the straws'that are positioned on the sliding, plate immediately adjacent the delivery opening and the brush l8.

These plates prevent the straws from contacting with the edge of the opening I! which forms a part of the window in the front wall of the housing,and-said plates also cooperate'withthe pinches or applies sufficient pressure to the lowermost one of the straws in the pile to prevent the same from being fed outwardly beneath the brush l8.

To serve the machine, cover 13 is removed, and the chamber in the upper portion of the housing is filled or partially filled with straws. result of gravity, a certain 'number'of the straws will pass downwardly over the inclined panel [9 and inclined sliding plate 20, and these straws will accumulate against the lowerendof wall or plate 35' and against the lower 'end of the inclined plates '36.

As a

To obtain a' straw, theoperator presses downwardly on the forward handle of'28, thereby rocking shaft 21 so as to swing the lower endof crank 29'rearwardly against the yielding resistance of retractile'sp'ring 3|.

As a result of this movement, link'30 imparts upwardly and rearward sliding movement to plate 20, so that the grooves 24 in the end extensions 23 of the plate will be drawn rearwardly through opening M to a position immediately'to the rear of the lower ends of the bristles of brush l8, and the forward one of the straws in the surface immediately to the rear of the brush will drop into the grooves, and as the pressure on the parts to their normal positions and the straw resting in the grooves 24 will'be carried forwardly beneath the lower edges of the bristles of brush l8 intoa'position on the exterior of the housing from whence the straw may beconveniently removed. 7 it During the rearward and forward movement of sliding plate 20, rib 20a agitates those straws between the lower edge of plate 35 and the delivery opening, so that said straws are straightened or caused to occupy positions parallel with each other, thus providing for the positive aocurate feeding of the straws through the delivery opening andeffectually preventing clogging of V the machine. 7 Inasmuch as the entire supply of straws contained within the machine are wholly enclosed,

said straws are at all times maintained in a'sanilever 28 'isirelieved, spring 31 will act to return tary condition, for in addition to being protected against dust, and moisture, the individual straws are separately delivered to the users without the possibility of the hands coming into contact with the supply of straws.

While I have shown and described my improved machine as being especially designed for the dispensing of drinking straws, the machine, with slight changes in size only, may be utilized for dispensing any small cylindrical articles, for instance, pencils, cigarettes, cigars, stick candy, toothpicks, matches and the like.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a machine for dispensing straws and the like, that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, positive in operation and very effective in performing its intended functions.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved straw dispensing machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine for dispensing straws and the like, a housing provided with a delivery opening, a spring-held plate arranged for sliding movement within said housing, a portion of which plate normally projects through said delivery opening, the projecting portion of which plate is provided with a straw-receiving groove, a flexible member depending from the upper edge of said delivery opening, a straw-agitating rib formed on said plate, a pair of inclined straw-guiding members secured to the lower portion of the inner face of the front wall of the housing above and adjacent the ends of the delivery opening therein, a strawsupporting plate secured to the upper portion of the front wall of the housing and extending downwardly and rearwardly, which plate terminates above the rear portion of the sliding plate, and a vertically disposed plate secured to the intermediate portion of said last-mentioned plate and extending downwardly to a point just above the intermediate portion of said sliding plate.

2. In a machine for dispensing straws and the like, a housing provided in its upper portion with a straw magazine and in the lower portion of its front wall with a straw discharge opening, an inclined plate secured in the rear portion of the housing and constituting a bottom for the magazine, a spring held plate arranged for sliding movement within said housing immediately below and parallel with said inclined plate, said fixed inclined plate and said sliding plate constituting an inclined surface over which the straws from the magazine roll by gravity toward the straw discharging opening, the forward portion of which sliding plate projects through the straw discharge opening, the projecting portion of which plate is provided with a straw-receiving groove, a straw-supporting plate secured to the upper portion of the front wall of the housing and extending downwardly and rearwardly, the rear lower edge of which straw-supporting plate terminates above the intermediate portion of said fixed inclined plate, a plate depending from the intermediate portion of said straw-supporting plate for controlling the passage of straws downwardly over the sliding plate and inclined strawguiding members secured to the inner face of the front wall of the housing above the straw discharge opening therein.

3. In a machine for dispensing straws and the like, a housing provided in its upper portion with a straw magazine and in the lower portion of its front wall with a straw discharge opening, an inclined plate secured in the rear portion of the housing and constituting a bottom for the magazine, a spring held plate arranged for sliding movement within said housing immediately below and parallel with said inclined plate, said fixed inclined plate and said sliding plate constituting an inclined surface over which the straws from the magazine roll by gravity toward the straw discharging opening, the forward portion of which sliding plate projects through the straw discharge opening, the projecting portion of which plate is provided with a straw-receiving groove, a straw-supporting plate secured to the upper portion of the front wall of the housing and extending downwardly and rearwardly, the rear lower edge of which straw-supporting plateterminates above the intermediate portion of said fixed inclined plate, a plate depending from the intermediate portion of said straw-supporting plate for controlling the passage of straws downwardly over the sliding plate, inclined strawguiding members secured to the inner face of the front wall of the housing above the straw discharge opening therein and a flexible member secured to the front of said housing and extending downwardly so as to partially close the straw discharge opening.

DAVID MILLER. 

